El Cid wrote:As for non standard parts, don't even think about getting a bigger set of wheels and tyres.

Sid

Sorry Sid, I´ll have to correct you on this one - As long as theres not more than a 3% difference in the overall diameter of the wheels you can run whatever wheel tyre combo you want, as long as the tyres are rated equal or better than what the paperwork says.

Ive got a megane coupe - 14" or 15" as standard, and I run 17"s - it passes the ITV every year.

There is an APP called "equivilancias" - you put in your standard size and it tells you which size you can have on the car without issue. I think Im ok with 18" or 19" as well...

I was referring to bigger (as in) increasing the width rather than diameter. I suspect that you are limited to the biggest width and lowest profile option the manufacturer supplies for that car in any model. Does the app allow that? The ficha technica usually has all the options on it.

no really, my meganes ficha only has 14 & 15 on it - and i have 17s - they never fitted anything bigger as standard to a megane. The first year i had them on there they checked them, but they dont even worry now - they probably changed it on their computer.

Some thoughts on this, based on my experience: I imported a Toyota RAV4 XT4 into Spain via France. In neither country does the XT4 exist - it's a UK trim level only. So in both France and Spain they asked me which was the closest equivalent from their national list. *If* I had wanted to change my alloys to bigger ones or add some other detail such as a factory bodykit before importing it, I reckon I could have done so and told the authorities that the nearest equivalent to my model was the model sold in Spain with those features as standard (so probably the top of the range one), in whch case the ITV paperwork would be adapted for them.

The process: Having read many posts on the topic, I removed my Toyota tow-bar and its electrics for the ITV. But I also had an eBay-purchased rear view camera set up (which I fitted myself) including a small camera on the back of the car and a screen near the interior rear-view mirror. For the ITV I left the screen in place and relocated the camera to inside the car, pointing out the rear window. The car passed without any comment about the camera. They did have the tape measures out though, so I believe if they had measured the car with the external camera and that camera had altered the measurements, then they might have failed it.

Oh, I also added a second rear fog light (because original on the wrong side) but bought an original part and cut into the bodywork to fit it exactly where an LHD car would have it. The ITV team didn't question that the foglights were now not symmetrical (design of the car), nor did they ask for receipts or certificates, all things I've heard of people producing before. Maybe I was lucky.

Probably lucky. Approach can also vary from one ITV station to another.

We imported a 1996 RHD Citroen in 2004, and Algarrobo refused to test it because its European conformance number was (according to them) one digit short. Official confirmation of the build date of the car (when one digit less was required) cut no ice. It was suggested by our gestor that we took the vehicle to ITV La Cala for its matriculation test. They welcomed the car with open arms, issued the necessary paperwork, only 'requesting' that the OE-fitted towbar be removed, because it didn't have an ID plate and fitting certificate.

Sounds as if you did your homework on the RAV4 (we have one too) beforehand, and it paid off. You are right: everything here hinges on correct paperwork.

If you import a car which does not conform to the original specifications then to get it homologated it has to be taken (not driven) to one of the two special testing stations - either Barcelona or Madrid. They will then pass / fail / ask for a modification. The last cost I heard of was 3,000€.

I had a friend go to the Birmingham motorhome / caravan show and buy a caravan at a discounted price. They collected the caravan in Germany where it was made and then tried to matriculate it here in Spain. I think the cost was in excess of 4,000€ virtually negating the savings.

Yes most things can be done with regard to modifying a car - but the homologation costs can outweigh the advantages. One further point; I had a car fail the ITV import process because the Vin number was rusty - 150€ to go to a specialist to get the Vin number copied onto a different location.

dxf wrote:If you import a car which does not conform to the original specifications then to get it homologated it has to be taken (not driven) to one of the two special testing stations - either Barcelona or Madrid. They will then pass / fail / ask for a modification. The last cost I heard of was 3,000€.

In my case, with an eBay reversing camera and a second fog lamp, the car was definitely no longer original spec. It basically depends how much the guy looking at your car that day thinks it doesn't conform and of course, what they are actually looking for to test that.

I had a similar experience in France before I fitted the second fog lamp - I'd read on countless forums that I was obliged to fit one on the LHS but thought I'd just chance it, and it passed the initial MOT with an amusing minor fail saying the LHS fog lamp (which didn't exist) didn't work.

TorreDelAguila wrote:Approach can also vary from one ITV station to another.

Yes, can only echo that. I'd also read on forums about people being charged for an "import ITV" and paying over 100€ for it. The station I went to here in CyL didn't charge any more than for a regular ITV (around 47€) but they obviously took longer to do it. Sometimes it might be an advantage not being in a tourist area because they don't look at me as a cash cow.

I did speak to one gestor who told me I'd need the infamous engineer's report, despite already having the Certificate of Conformity from Toyota. He said the ITV centres wouldn't accept the CoC because they would have no idea what it was! Solution there was to find another gestor. I did most of the legwork myself but needed help to get the paperwork through the DGT in the next city over. Their fee was 40€, less than it would have cost me in petrol and time off work. I got some scary quotes from ex-pat specialists though; nearly put me off doing the whole thing.

The only difference I could detect between a standard periodic ITV test and the Homologation one was that the testers
- checked the contents of the engine-bay conformance plate
- checked towbar was spec-plated and certificated
- headlights dipped appropriately
- measured height, width and length of the vehicle
For this extra, test cost just over €100 (2005).